Of the Roan antelope were trans-located to the TFNP where they are doing well.

I participate because I care - CUSTOS NATURAENo to Hotels in and commercialization of our National Parks.No to Legalized Rhino and Lion trade.Done 159 visits to National Parks.What a wonderful privilege.

Some interesting facts from a very reliable source last November! And from an historical book about the Kruger.Roan used to be innoculated against anthrax - something even many Park staff are unaware of.There were two protected breeding sites - one I have seen on the now closed northern 4x4 route, the other in the Mopani area (which I was unaware of).The modern theory is that the roan is not 'natural' to the Kruger.The roan is actually neither rare or threatened in Southern Africa.A decision has been taken to stop protecting the roan in the Kruger with both breeding sites closed.So the roan that are left will either survive on their own or they won't!I was lucky to see then twice last year near Mopani. The other place, as has been mentioned, where you might see them is around the Babalala area.It will be a shame if the roan dies out in the Kruger - it is a magnificent antelope.I do find it interesting how an organisations history is often forgotten - this is not unique to the Kruger and anthrax! But I continue to be concerned by the closure of waterholes and dams - it is as though the appalling droughts of the sixties and eighties have been forgotten.Richard

Col Stevenson-Hamilton mentioned that Roan seemed to be more confined to the eastern and more arid tracts of the park. He described their habitat as upland rolling country, not too thickly wooded also known in the Transvaal as middle-veld but when persecuted by man they would take to the forests where Sable would also be found.It is a grass eater and drinks regularly. They normally were in smaller herds which were dispersed widely.Col Stevenson-Hamilton, reported some Roan antelope in the Southern Area of the KNP in 1923 and 1925 and in 1931 in the Shingwedzi area saying that they were relatively common.In the early days of the Sabi Game Reserve the surviving animals were found living in quite thick bush after a few years gradually dispersed and became numerous north of the Letaba River. Old hunters and natives said that Roan were well represented in the eastern-Transvaal middel-veld and in the semi-open foothills of the Drakensberg. In his Wardens report dated 1913 he quoted:Roan antelope are now spread over all the country south of the Sabi in Ranger Wolhuter’s western section. They keep to the more or less open country under the foothills of the berg. Their increase from very small numbers twelve years ago has been most encouraging.They are also met with small troops west of the Imbabate River in the northern section as far as the western boundary of the Reserve.Sable are sometimes seen in very large herds, and locally are often the most numerous species existing.In his 1931 report he quoted:In my annual report of 1912, I attempted a very rough estimate of the number of game animals present in the Reserve. I have reason to believe that my calculations were then considerably under the mark, and since that time the total has increased at least fourfold, in spite of the fact that from 1914-1919, the large increase of poaching and of predatory animals caused increase to be less rapid than would otherwise have been the case.Nevertheless, even now, there are areas wherein water exits in sufficient quantity to satisfy the not very exorbitant demands of the wild animals, and where pasture appears sufficient, which are not yet stocked to any extent, and we cannot be said to have yet attained to the faunal level of the less disturbed game countries of east and central Africa. There is no doubt that the provision of adequate watering facilities by dams and boreholes in some of the more arid parts, especially north of the Letaba, would lead to a more even distribution of the various species, instead of, as now, having great masses congregated at the end of each dry season in such spots as may be most favourable for food and water, while very large areas are meantime destitute of all wild life.ROAN ANTELOPEExists in considerable number north of the Olifants to the Limpopo River. South of the former it is encountered mainly in the more westerly portions of the Reserve, and may usually be seen near Pretorius Kop. It is seldom met with east of the Selati Railway. There are a few in the Newington area, with that exception, practically all the Roan Antelope country between the Sabi and Olifants was excised in 1925.Roan were not mentioned in his 1931 report, however he mentioned that Sable were again increasing in numbers after the 1925/1926 havoc. One may assume that this was also applicable to Roan.

Dr Salomon Joubert reported in 1976 that the Southern sub-species (occurring in the KNP) are sensitive to changes in their habitat involving either an increase in the woody vegetation or a reduction in grass cover. Their habitat requirements are critical, their occurrence is confined to lightly wooded savannah with extensive open areas of medium to tall grasses. They avoid woodland where the trees form a closed canopy or, where the bush from the level of 1.5 to 4 m forms thick closed stands. As a result of these requirements the distribution of Roan is patchy and discontinuous. Within ashort space of time their occurrence can be inhibited by factors such as bush encroachment or over-utilization of the grassland by other species, which by trampling and eating it down, render it less suitable for the Roan.Roan antelope numbers increased e.g. one breeding herd captured during 1969 of 21 increased to 181 in 1983 during the Transvaal Department of Nature Conservation conservation efforts in one of its reserves. From this nucleus viable numbers were trans located to other reserves with suitable habitat. In 1986, 285 Roan were reported living in the Transvaal nature reserves.The KNP reported 670 Roan in 1963, 344 in 1984 and 328 in 1985. This was attributed to Anthrax outbreaks. This is the reason why Roan were moved to enclosures where they were taken care of and annually inoculated against Anthrax.It was reported in 2012 that there were 120 of these animals in the KNP and then in August 2013 nearly forty of them died of Anthrax in the Capricorn enclosure.

I participate because I care - CUSTOS NATURAENo to Hotels in and commercialization of our National Parks.No to Legalized Rhino and Lion trade.Done 159 visits to National Parks.What a wonderful privilege.